Passiflora Fata Confetto

The 'Fata Confetto' Passionflower is a hybrid variety appreciated for the beauty of its flowers as well as the taste quality of its fruits. It is also among the most hardy fruit varieties. Derived from Passiflora x incarnata, it offers large, fragrant purple flowers, followed by round fruits that are yellow-orange when ripe, more flavourful than the species, with a sweeter taste and a slight hint of acidity. The passionflower requires well-drained, not too dry soil and heat in summer to bloom, and not too wet soil in winter.

Mostly native to tropical areas of South America, passionflowers belong to the large family of Passifloraceae, which includes 400 species and numerous spontaneous or horticultural hybrids. Passiflora incarnata is a wild species native to the southeastern United States and Mexico. The 'Fata Confetto' variety is a 2006 creation by Italian Maurizio Vecchia, it is a hybrid between Passiflora 'Guglielmo Betto' and Passiflora cincinnata 'Dark Pollen'.

The 'Fata Confetto' Passionflower has a perennial crown that produces new twining stems each spring. The vegetation completely disappears in winter. The well-branched stems cling to their support with tendrils, reaching a height of 3m in one season and disappear with the first true frost. They are adorned with smooth, thick leaves, 8-12cm long by 7-11cm wide, divided into 3 lanceolate elliptical lobes with dentate margins, medium green on the upper side, traversed by light yellow veins. Its flowering period extends from June to October in favourable climates. Each stem bears 5 to 10, 8cm diameter, quite ephemeral flowers, constantly renewing on the plant. Its pleasantly fragrant flowers are formed by cream-white tepals. The fringed filaments of the crown are purple, striped with white. The heart of the flower is occupied by 5 tiger-striped stamens with yellow anthers and 3 mauve tiger-striped styles, united at the base. The unusual shape of the flower evolves: petals and sepals curve, while the crown of filaments folds and then straightens to avoid self-pollination. Once pollinated, the flowers produce edible egg-shaped fruits, measuring 5cm long. The translucent pulp is sweet, flavourful, and fragrant.

This Passionflower has crown hardy down to -12°C, after 2 or 3 years of cultivation. It is very important to protect the crown from cold and humidity during the first 2 winters. It thrives in all southern and Atlantic regions, venturing into well-protected inland gardens as well. It is used to dress walls, fences, porches, and trellises. When combined with an evergreen or winter-flowering climber, the decoration lasts all year round. Consider Clematis cirrhosa, for example. Plant it against a hedge, and it will decorate it with its flowers and fruits in summer. It is also lovely in conservatories, where it withstands very cold winters without damage.